Content is not just using words on your web page and throwing up keywords in a half-assed manner to trick search engines. Yes, while it’s important to have an on-point SEO strategy, which we’ll discuss later, you simply can’t get by as a cannabis business without producing up-to-date, relevant content.

Content comes in all forms -- written content, graphics, infographics, videos and the content creation world is coming up with new ways to engage customers daily. Content engages, informs, educates, advertises and creates customer loyalty. These are all elements of the customer experience that a cannabis dispensary strives for.

Here are some content strategies that will get your dispensary noticed.

Blogging

First and foremost, your website can act as a hub for your cannabis content, and structured and updated in such a way that your site remains relevant. Working with keywords and aiming for strong Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will give you the opportunity to write your pieces in a way that matches what people are searching for by having your resource rank high on their search results.

Blogging gives you the opportunity to stand out as an expert in your field or section of the cannabis industry. As a cannabis dispensary, it can serve as a place to share best practices for marijuana retail. It’s also a platform to share new and emerging information about the cannabis industry, and the ways you’re working to make your own impact.

With so much information being developed about cannabis at alarming rates, there is a need for accurate, truthful and resourceful information for people interested in cannabis and what you offer as a dispensary. When designing your blogging strategy, consider your frequency of blogging (it can never be too much, as long as it’s quality), word count, and thoughtful topics that will grab people’s attention.

Infographics

About 65 percent of people are visual learners, meaning that they take in information through graphics, illustration and photos rather than large blocks of texts. This means that in addition to your blog strategy, you should have a graphic alternative to accommodate visual learners.

An infographic is a great way to educate your followers, relay important information and, if done right, create more leads and potential customers for your dispensary. Good infographics provide value to the customer, add to the existing knowledge base on the internet (not just replicated it) and be relevant to the audience you’re trying to engage into your cannabis dispensary.

Graphics

That old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is pretty true. Nowadays, it takes under three seconds for people to decide whether they want to engage with the online component of a business. If you fail to engage your potential dispensary customer within those first seconds of your page loading, you could potentially lose them forever.

Take care with the graphics you are using. Your content won’t be fresh if you’re relying on the “available for reuse” photos that you can get through a Google search. Purchase a subscription to a stock photo site like Shutterstock or iStockPhoto, or use tools like Pixabay where you can have access to great photos if you credit the artist.

To take your graphics content game one step further, hire your own photographer. With cannabis photography being an up and coming field, these photographers can make your dispensary shine through photography.

Social media

Your cannabis company will fall into oblivion if you’re working in the cannabis space but aren'tactive on social media.

There is a 24/7 “conversation” around cannabis on social media. If your dispensary hasn’t taken on a full social media strategy, what are you waiting for? Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and LinkedIn are the places where you can engage in the cannabis conversation any time of the day.

Your dispensary should also be putting out fresh content daily to keep your relevance apparent and your customer base engaged. Just ensure you’re keeping up with the marketing and advertising regulations in your state or jurisdiction and each platforms terms of service requirements with your social media practices.

From retailers to growers, producers, and suppliers, there’s a seemingly never-ending list of startup opportunities in this emerging market. In Start Your Own Cannabis Business, marijuana, biotech, and entrepreneurship reporter Javier Hasse introduces forward-thinking entrepreneurs like you to the industry and shares hard-earned tips and success stories from pioneers and visionaries in the marijuana industry.

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